I just love finding new gadgets that you really don’t need but sure would like.

Here’s my latest find - the Yamaha Bodibeat

It’s an amazing music player that will synchronize your tunes to your heart beat.

Strap it to your arm and then get stuck in to your exercise routine. As you get moving and warming up, the Bodibeat will start shuffling the play list according to your heart rate.

During warm up, it will play some mellow and quiet music. But soon, as you hit your stride, so too will the Bodibeat, matching your playlist’s beats per minute to your heart rate.

It’s loaded with a couple thousand tunes - predominantly ‘90 techno - but if that doesn’t suit, you can upload your own workout music.

Sounds cool. I want one. Guess I’d better add it to the ever growing Christmas list.

Image from FitnessMagazine.com

Aiming to be fit this summer?

Or at least a whole lot fitter?

Yeah, I know. Much easier said than done.

But if you are really interested in getting up and moving towards a fitter you, then FitnessMagazine.com wants to help.

They are running a ‘celebrate summer series’ that features workout routines, motivation tricks for getting your bikini body ready for the season, and special summer drink recipes.

Get Fit the FitnessMagazine.com Way…

“Get a Bikini Body in 4 Weeks” - receive weekly plans for getting your body in shape, featuring cardio and toning exercises and diet recommendations.

 Cycling guide - detailed information on how to get the most out of your biking exercise

10 motivation tricks - geared for how to get in your exercise even in hot weather.

Swimming pool workout - exercises that burn calories while you tone muscles and are targeted to different areas of your body.

Maximum sun protection summer workout outfits -  a guide to coordinated hats, tops and shorts or pants for maximum sun protection, broken into several categories—walking, running or just covering up at the pool.

Smoothie recipes - includes several combinations of fruit with added ingredients, such as flaxseeds, peanut butter, and even chocolate.

Low-cal drink recipes - gives a choice of refreshing alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for your happy hour.

A couple of months ago I wrote about a study that found drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks an hour before exercise will reduce muscle pain.

But here’s a study that goes one better and suggests that drinking beer after exercise  improves your hydration better than drinking water would.

The study from Spain is a couple of years old and I haven’t seen any follow-up studies which makes it difficult to judge it’s accuracy.

So have a read and see what you think.

The study done by researchers at Granada University in Spain tested 25 students over several months, asking them to run on a treadmill at 104F temperatures until they were close to exhaustion. At that point, their level of hydration, concentration, and motor skills were measurd.

Then half of the students were given 2 half pints of Spanish lager to drink and the remaining students were given just water.

The study found that those who drank the beer had a slightly better rehydration effection than those who drink only water. 

The researchers believe this is because the contents of the beer - sugars and salts - quickens the absorption of fluids.  Further more, they think that the bubbles, caused by carbon dioxide, quenches thirst and carbohydrates in the beer replace calories lost in exercise.

Based on these results, the Spanish researchers went on to recommend moderate consumption of beer as a part of athletes’ diets. Their definition of  moderate consumption being 500 mls per day for men and 250 mls per day for women.

So what do you think?

Should we being having a pre-exercise coffee and a post-exercise beer?

Don’t know about you but it all sounds too much for me!

(image source)

Driving might be the American way of life, but it’s a way of life that’s simply not good for your health nor the environment.  The more we drive, the less we walk and the more difficult it becomes to get the recommended 10,000 steps a day to maintain wellness.

In fact, according to Lawrence Frank of the University of British Columbia, “Every additional 30 minutes spent in a car each day translates into a 3 percent greater chance of being obese,” he said.

Unfortunately, many American cities are not made for walking. As David Goldberg of Smart Growth America (a coalition of nonprofit groups that works to improve town and city planning) says “We have designed cities to suppress walking”  But times have changed and now the cities need to look at ways to move away from car culture and focus more on the health of their residents. This can be done through urban renewal projects and also through education.

In the meantime, here’s a few ways to get those daily 10,000 steps…

•  use public transport wherever possible and get off a stop or two before you need to and walk the rest of the way
• don’t aim for the closest car park at the shopping mall. Instead, park further away and walk.
• do a lap or two of the shopping mall before going into the supermarket or department store.

Of course, you could always move to one of these more pedestrian friendly cities.

(news source and image)

With May being National Correct Posture Month, it seems only right to think about ways to improve the posture.

Sitting at the computer for hours on end has, I’m sure, increased my habit of slumping so a few reminders and tips on how to straighten up won’t go amiss.

Here’s what Dr Greg Thielman, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at the University of Philadelphia, suggests in the way of tips and exercises…

Evaluate your workstation: A workstation is anywhere that an individual spends a notable amount of time daily and for many of us, our primary workstation is standing or sitting at a desk. “If you’re sitting, don’t drop a ton of money on an ergonomic chair. Instead, position the chair to provide lumbar, shoulder, and if needed, head support.”

 Perform daily exercises: Dr. Thielman recommends regularly exercising the large muscles on the front and back of the thigh, the abdominal muscles, and performing three exercises daily:

1. Pelvic Tilt: “While sitting, push your pelvis back into the chair, hold it for three seconds and then relax. This tightens and strengthens your abdominal muscles,” explains Dr. Thielman.
2. Chin Tucks: “Also while sitting, put your pointer finger on your chin and push straight back. Be sure your head isn’t tilted up or down and this exercise will realign your spine and combat forward head position.”
3. Lean Back: “Lastly, most of what we perform at our workstations forces us anterior, so we’re constantly bending forward. To straighten the spine, stand-up, put your hands on your lower back, and lean back. This exercise combats the effects of being in a forward position.”

Invest in supportive shoes: Stiletto heels may look good, but Dr. Thielman warns they don’t do women any favors in the posture department. “There is no such thing as a good high heel shoe.” Shoes that cover the top of the foot are ideal. “Each brand fits differently, but the key is to find one that works for you and that gives the much-needed overall support.”

Pretty solid advice. But as a gadget geek, I thought I’d go a little further and check out the iPosture, a little round electronic disc that is designed to improve the posture. Oprah approved, it looks interesting. Apparently you wear it on your chest, either as a pendant, hooked to the bra strap, or stuck directly to the chest and every time you slouch,  it alerts you via a brief vibration to sit or stand upright. 

Sounds interesting and I’m contemplating ordering one. But in the meantime, I’ve downloaded the free iPosture App to my iPhone will spend the rest of the month checking it out.

(image)

Sure hope it’s not too early to start on my Christmas Wish List ’cause I just found something to put on the top of the list

It’s a Pumgo Scooter - the world’s first pedal-powered scooter.

Check it out…

Think of the all possible benefits…

• Increased exposure to Vitamin D - By being outside, you’ll get a decent quota of Vitamin D, something that’s apparently lacking for many people.
• Fun and entertaining - Remember, laughter and fun is important for good health.
• A stress release - How could you be stressed when riding around like a kid on a Pumgo Scooter.
• An exercise workout - It’s a cardio-vascular workout that will burn calories and strengthened muscles.
• Clean, green transportation - Small enough to sit in the office while at work, this could be the newest way to get around the city and to work and back.

It’s like taking your gym’s stair-climber outside into the sun for fun.

Welcome to yet another edition of the Healthbolt Carnival. You know the drill - grab a coffee, get comfortable, and start reading…

Tristan fromBody And Fitness Blog discusses the importance of Muscle Overload in exercise.

Romeo Vitelli from Providentia writes about The Rafferty Experiment and how early medical experiments that helped shape the future of medical research.

Free Organic News suggests that you Nourish Your Skin Organically with these great tips.

FeminineSpirit provides some Easy Ways to Fuel Your Metabolism.

Dan Abshear from Informaproject looks at The Issues With Electronic Medical Records.

FitJerk from FlawlessFitness provides some Powerful Plyometrics Training That Will Knock Your Socks Off!.

Alvin Hopkinson from High Blood Pressure Treatment and Medication Reviews offers some Tips in Preparing a Diet to Prevent High Blood Pressure.

Dejan Banovic from Weight Loss Writings writes about How To Loss Weight.

Madeleine Begun Kane from Mad Kane’s Humor Blog asks Does Your Guilt Spring Eternal?

J.D. Bell from It Takes Work looks at Core Training and asks What’s With All The Bouncy Balls?

Ann Monahan from End Hemorrhoids Naturally provides suggestions for Eliminating Hemorrhoids.

Walter from The Highlight HEALTH Network reviews Brain Toniq and looks at the science behind this ‘Think Drink’.

Ross from Energise for Life discusses How To Cure Yourself of Hay Fever naturally.

dietetic boy from Vegetarian Culinary discusses The Advantage That you Will Find From the Many Vegetarian Menus | Vegetarian Culinary Recipes.

That concludes this edition of Healthbolt Carnival.

By the way, this is will be the last Healthbolt Carnival for a while.

Stop back next week and see what we’ve got up our sleeve instead.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: a healthbolt carnival, blog carnival.

I admit it. I spend way too much time on the computer.

If I’m not blogging about health issues here at Healthbolt, green issues at ecosalon, travel at Perceptive Travel, or travel writing at Write to Travel, I’m checking my emails, twitter and  RSS feeds.

So I find articles like ‘10 Ways to get Fit WHILE Blogging’ a real help. It not only reminds me that I need to exercise but also provides interesting, unique, and fun ways to do so while chained to the computer.

But knowing that I’m probably not the only one out there often chained to the computer, I thought I’d share their list of exercises with you…

1. Cyber Squats
2. RSS Raises
3. Move it! Break #1
4. Twitter Tummy Tone
5. Social Squeezes
6. 10 Minute Move it! Break #2
7. Inbox Incline
8. 10 Minute Move it! Break #3
9. Blogger Breather
10. Sign Off Stretches

Read the ‘10 Ways to get Fit WHILE Blogging’ article to find out what to do and how to do it.

(image from sxc.hu /EdwinP)

It’s fun. I promise.

Great news for all the caffeine addicts out there. It’s a known fact that caffeine is a performance enhancer, one of the very few that isn’t banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

But now a new study by University of Illinois researchers has found that caffeine eases the muscle pains of exercising.

The study involved 25 fit, college-aged men. Some of the participants were regular caffeine users, ie ones who drank at least four cups of coffee (or the equivalent in caffeine laced drinks) a day on average, while others either didn’t take in caffeine at all or only had a small daily intake.

After an initial exercise test on an exercise bike to determine maximal oxygen consumption, the participants were then monitored while doing two high-intensity, half-hour exercise sessions. These two sessions were held a week apart and during that time the guys are expected to refrain from any caffeine, alcohol, and exercise (a big ask college aged guys).

An hour leading up to the exercise sessions, the participants were given either a placebo or a caffeine pill.
Then, while the exercise sessions were in progress, the researchers monitored the participants, collectiing information on oxygen consumption, heart rate, and work rate, and also questioned the participants about their perception of quadricep muscle pain.

The results - it ws found that when taking the caffeine pill, the participants experienced significantly less quadricep muscle pain. This was across the board for both those who where habitual caffeine drinkers and those who were not.

Wonder if this means we’ll soon be seeing coffee cups rather than water bottles strategically placed around the gym?

(image from sxc.hu)

Hi everyone and welcome to the lastest Healthbolt Carnival.  It’s a little late due to technical difficulties, but if you grab a coffee, sit down, and start clicking, you’ll  find it was worth the wait.

Ever wondered what’s it like being a full-time vegan in a world of meat-eaters? QiQi from Celebrating Me let’s us know in What’s It Like Being a Vegetarian

Find out why J.D. Bell from It Takes Work says It’ll Cost You To Be A Couch Potato..

Kara-Leah Grant from Prana Flow NZ gives us the top eleven reasons Why you want to start practicing yoga TODAY.

Joe E from Promote Health lists Top 10 Healthy Drinks to Help You Lose Weight.

Brain Blogger discusses the Logistical Barriers to Stem Cell Research..

Dean Moyer from The Back Pain Blog discusses Aquatic Therapy for Back Pain.

Dr. Davon Jacobson from *Health and Nutrition Facts* focuses on vision health and provides these useful tips on How to Protect Eyes.

Willb fromWilliam Bakhos’s Blog offers tips on How to pack a 90 minute workout in 18 minutes.

JP Hagen from Frozen Shoulder | Exercises, Treatment, Prevention looks at Shoulder Pain Traditional Treatments.

Aparna from Beauty and Personality Grooming discusses Home remedies for age spots.

Wenchypoo from Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket presents This Just In: Scientists Discover Root Cause (ha-ha) of Gray Hair.

Dan Abshear from Informaproject explores the tactics implemented by pharmaceutical corporations to expand the boundaries of disease states, if not actually create such illnesses in This Makes Me Sick.

Tami Blodgett from Online Wellness: A Safe Haven lists eight “Inspired Choices For Staying Emotionally Balanced at times of tremendous emotional, mental, physical, spiritual and economic upheaval.

Sarah McCurdy from Health Log has some suggestions for Preventing Acne..

Paula Kawal from Journey Inward Productions says Chakras speak and asks Are You Listening?.

one from green weight loss looks at how the Latest Diet Trends Are Keeping People Fat.

Petra Ioni from Fountia has information on Emerging Treatments for Atopic Eczema.

Sigrid Landau from A1 How To discusses her decision to have laproscopic banding surgery in Morbid Morbidity.

Helene Zemel from Health Plans Plus looks at AC-11 and DNA Repair.

Sarah McCurdy from Health Log discusses Causes Of Childhood Obesity.

myln from Weight Loss Help and Tips lists 28 weight loss tips with exercise/

Jerry Navarro from All About Family and Health discusses the Brain and Healthy Aging.

Alvaro Fernandez from SharpBrains introduces a brain podcast featuring Michael Merzenich: Brain Plasticity offers Hope for Everyone.

Steve Patterson from Weight Loss Diet Forum looks at The Health Benefits of Acai Berry.

Ed Biado from lists Ed Biado at MST Life | Philippine Lifestyle News 10 great foods to Feed your brain.

run4change from My Angle found some Amazing before and after pics dealing with loose skin removal surgery..

Jeremy Reeves from Hassle Free Fat Loss looks at 5 Reasons Bodyweight Training Might Be SUPERIOR To Weights.

steven germain from Rough Fractals presents The (Avian and Other) Flu Virus - A Major Medical Development…, saying, “Video and discussion of recent breakthrough scientific developments in flu vaccine.”

Amy B. Scher from Healthcare Hacks has has had stem cell therapy and writes Surprise! More Embryonic Stem Cell Improvements.

John Duke from Pure Acai - Acai Berry Info Blog writes Acai Berry - Common Questions Answered.

And that’s it for this edition of the Healthbolt Carnival.

Don’t forget to submit your health and wellness blog article to the next edition of healthbolt carnival using our carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: a healthbolt carnival, blog carnival.